Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are Are So Dangerous! [BL]-Chapter 129: Meeting of Fates

Not with brute force, but with cunning.

Ricardo revolutionized the very concept of succession battles within the mafia.

Since his ascension, the Del Fiore family had earned the nickname "The Cunning Del Fiores" within the underworld.

And now, that man was attending the meeting?

Rocco had been complacent, assuming Ricardo’s reclusiveness meant he wouldn’t appear.

However, now, with Rocco also attending the gathering, this new development threw Sylas into a state of anxious uncertainty.

Laxus, observing Sylas’s unease, maintained his calm demeanor and spoke with a bright, almost teasing smile.

"I get what you’re worried about. Father is usually mild-mannered, but when he becomes fixated on something, his obsession is... well, let’s just say it’s extreme enough to make anyone uncomfortable. That’s what’s bothering you, isn’t it?"

"...If you know that, why are you so unconcerned?"

Rocco was enchanting, a radiant light entirely out of place in the dark world of the mafia.

But that light was like sweet nectar, irresistibly drawing in predators and pests alike.

Anyone who crossed paths with Rocco inevitably became infatuated, consumed by a madness that defied reason.

After all, darkness has an innate, obsessive yearning for light.

If Rocco and the Head of the Del Fiore family were to meet...

"Relax," Laxus said with an easygoing grin. "We just need to make sure they don’t cross paths. As long as we keep them apart, it’ll be fine, right? With the two of us working together, this will be a breeze!"

"...True, but..."

On paper, it sounded simple: keep Rocco and Ricardo apart.

But would it really be that simple?

Both Rocco and the Head of the Del Fiore family shared one dangerous trait—an unpredictability that made them impossible to anticipate.

If either of them acted contrary to expectations, this plan would fall apart.

Despite Sylas’s evident unease, Laxus retained his air of relaxed confidence.

"It’ll be fine. Between my Father and Rocco, nothing can go wrong! Everything’s going to work out perfectly!"

"Hey... don’t jinx it..."

The creeping sense of unease gnawed at Sylas, accompanied by an ominous premonition that seemed to grow sharper with every moment.

Even as he tried to prepare himself, the dreaded day would arrive in three days.

Sylas could only hope his fears wouldn’t come true.

Sipping his bitter tea, he silently prayed that everything would go smoothly.

...

In the three days leading up to the meeting, Rocco had resolved to train himself and mentally prepare for the occasion.

However, that determination proved futile. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Time, it seemed, had a habit of moving far too quickly.

Three short days slipped by so effortlessly that he found himself genuinely bewildered.

The day of the meeting had arrived.

Despite Laxus’s parting advice—"Make sure you’re well-prepared."—Rocco realized he hadn’t done anything that could reasonably be considered preparation.

Now that he thought about it, what kind of preparations were even necessary for a meeting like this?

The only thing that came to mind was checking his belongings.

Surely, having a pen and a handkerchief would suffice.

Wasn’t that the same logic as packing for a school trip?

Although, come to think of it, he’d never actually been on a school trip in his previous life, so he wasn’t entirely sure...

Oh, right.

Speaking of school trips, wasn’t there something else you needed to bring?

Bananas.

That was it.

Bananas were essential.

With this revelation, Rocco stuffed a single banana into a small backpack and nodded his head with satisfaction.

Now he was ready.

Fully prepared.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor of his room, he spent a few minutes packing his carefully selected items into the backpack.

The departure time was drawing near, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two of his close aides whispering to each other as they watched him.

Were they in awe of his perfect preparation?

He puffed out his chest with pride.

"...Hey, what exactly is our lord preparing for?" one whispered.

"It’s definitely school-trip energy," the other replied. "It’s so adorable, though."

Rocco did a final check.

Banana? Check.

Handkerchief? Check.

Pen and paper? Check.

Backpack secured? Absolutely.

"Alright! Let’s go!" he declared with childlike enthusiasm.

The meeting was set to take place at the estate of the Don Ferocelli family, known for their rare and steadfast neutrality within the underworld.

At first, there had been discussions about holding the meeting at either the main or secondary residence of the Di Malvento family or Del Fiore family.

However, since the negotiations remained deadlocked, Laxus and Sylas had apparently suggested the Don Ferocelli estate instead.

Reflecting on how the decision had come about, Rocco realized that Laxus and Sylas had deliberately accelerated the stalled talks.

The two of them seemed to have formed a complete alliance at this point.

It was a dynamic and relationship that differed from the original story’s plot, but perhaps it would eventually align with the source material as events progressed.

Although his worries hadn’t subsided, Rocco had to accept that this was undeniably the world of Whispers of Steel and Starlight.

For now, he could only trust in the storyline and character movements that had unfolded as expected thus far.

And so, they arrived at the Don Ferocelli family’s main estate.

When Rocco stepped down from the carriage, he found out that the grounds already crowded with men in suits, their presence exuding authority and tension.

"Whoa," he muttered in awe.

"...Rocco, don’t stray from my side. Whatever you do, don’t let go of my hand," Sylas said while gripping Rocco’s hand tightly with a serious expression.

Rocco nodded his head vigorously at Sylas’s stern command.

Of course! Getting separated in a place like this would only result in him breaking down into a mess of tears from fear and loneliness.

Sylas continued issuing orders with his typical precision.

"Strasbourg, assign all the guards to watch over the children. Your focus remains on the Del Fiore group. Do not let them out of your sight."

"As you command," Strasbourg responded crisply.